


Through the Looking Glass

by themunak



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-17
Updated: 2012-03-17
Packaged: 2017-11-02 01:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/363718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themunak/pseuds/themunak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This man— Desmond Miles— shares his face, which unsettled him in the beginning, but there is little else that they do have in common.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through the Looking Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at Tumblr.

Altaïr reaches out and slides his (unmarked, completely whole) left hand over the unusual smooth surface of the long desk made of wood. _Bar_ , his borrowed mind supplies, a place where guests, usually those alone sit at to drink while the servant ("bartender") stands on the other side to supply them with all sorts of liquids. Interestingly enough, the establishment is also called a bar, and several small tables and chairs scattered throughout the large room. His borrowed form works here as a bartender, but the bar is empty.

Memories that are not his say that it's closing time, and his feet move on their own, through the portal and onto the streets that are not completely dark despite the lateness of the hour, lights of every color flashing and shining every few feet or so. Altaïr moves with familiarity through these streets, but it's only that of his body's. Instead, he looks around in wonder of these structures made of far different material than those in Masyaf, and the lights that are most decidedly not flames or torches. And his rooms, an apartment, while small, disorganized and slightly dusty by this world's standards, is impressive to Altaïr's eyes.

This man-- Desmond Miles-- shares his face, which unsettled him in the beginning, but there is little else that they do have in common. His body is too soft, and hands too smooth. What little training he'd received as a boy, on the Farm, has disappeared over time.

Time that Desmond spent running away from his heritage as an Assassin.

Yet Altaïr finds no judgement in him to give to Desmond. The boy obviously has his reasons, and Altaïr cannot fault him for choosing his own path, and admires him having the determination to stay on it. Not everyone leaves their families behind and not wish to return at one point or other. Desmond has made no wish, and is unlikely to do so.

Despite having worked to such an hour, Desmond-- and by extension, Altaïr-- feels no want to sleep. He wanders around the small apartment almost aimlessly, taking his silent passenger with him. Altaïr deeply feels restlessness that may very well be his own at this point, yet he has nothing to do but listen to the boy's thoughts.

Desmond thinks about the day he's had. Dana, again (Altaïr sees the image of a girl of about Desmond's age, blue eyes and short brown hair) this time dragging along her huge brother Alex who looks like some kind of creature of the night with how pale his skin is (Desmond's words, definitely). Luka, the journalist with the weird name and weirder scarf. Ammy, the mute Japanese lady who can outlast anyone in a drinking contest. A group of young girls celebrating their friend's birthday. A couple of people just passing by. Students from a school nearby needing a drink or two to settle themselves after a long hard day of poring over texts.

How boring, Altaïr thinks, but Desmond is under the impression that it is a good life he leads. Not ideal, but better than what he'd left behind.

Altaïr feels a tug at his collar, and he knows it's time to return to his own home. He barely has the chance to say an unheard _safety and peace_ before he opens his eyes and finds that he has fallen out of his chair, the Apple cold and heavy in his palm. And his wife and most trusted friend standing over his body and ready to reprimand him severely.

He does not regret that visit to another world, however, and decides he should do so again, once Maria and Malik are not looking.


End file.
